ComedyDrama

Housekeeping for Beginners

- Home is where you belong.

Dita, who, despite never aspiring to be a mother, finds herself compelled to raise her girlfriend’s two daughters—Mia, a tiny troublemaker, and Vanesa, a rebellious teenager. As their individual wills clash, a heartwarming story unfolds about an unlikely family's struggle to stay together.

Release Date : 2024-04-05

Language :AlbanianFrenchMacedonian

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : List ProductionMadantsKinoramaSENSE ProductionIndustria FilmFilm i VästCommon Ground PicturesCauseway FilmsTango EntertainmentFocus FeaturesNEFS

Production Country : AustraliaCroatiaKosovoMacedoniaPolandSerbiaSwedenUnited States of America

Alternative Titles : Housekeeping for Beginners

Cast

Character Name : Dita

Original Name : Anamaria Marinca

Gender : Female

Character Name : Suada

Original Name : Alina Serban

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ali

Original Name : Samson Selim

Gender : Male

Character Name : Toni

Original Name : Vladimir Tintor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vanesa

Original Name : Mia Mustafa

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mia

Original Name : DŽada Selim

Gender : Female

Character Name : Elena

Original Name : Сара Климоска

Gender : Female

Character Name : Flora

Original Name : Rozafa Celaj

Gender : Female

Character Name : Teuta

Original Name : Ajse Useini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Receptionist

Original Name : Aleksandra Peševska

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nela

Original Name : Irena Ristić

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Filip Trajkovikj

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elderly Roma Lady

Original Name : Mamura Mustafa

Gender : Female

Character Name : Oncologist

Original Name : Fisnik Zeqiri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Ziba Radoncic

Gender : Female

Character Name : Principal

Original Name : Ilire Vinca

Gender : Female

Character Name : Indira

Original Name : Serbija Shabanova

Gender : Female

Character Name : Registrar

Original Name : Bislim Muçaj

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hava

Original Name : Sanela Emin

Gender : Female

Character Name : Neighbour 1

Original Name : Ganimet Abdula

Gender : Male

Character Name : Neighbour 2

Original Name : Kjeziban Redjep

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ferus

Original Name : Sakip Muarem

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dino

Original Name : Nahmir Useini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lawyer

Original Name : Dilbera Kamberovska

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sandra

Original Name : Vesna Petrushevska

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sirma

Original Name : Žaklina Stefkovska

Gender : Female

Character Name : Colleague

Original Name : Ines Radoncic

Gender : Female

Character Name : Neno

Original Name : Blagoj Veselinov

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beti

Original Name : Emilija Micevska-Trajkovikj

Gender : Female

Character Name : Alek

Original Name : Gorast Cvetkovski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ninoslav

Original Name : Aleksandar Stepanuleski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miki

Original Name : Strezo Stamatovski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vaska

Original Name : Slavica Manaskova

Gender : Female

Character Name : Stefanija

Original Name : Jasmina Vasileva

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nela's Daughter 1

Original Name : Tara Popova

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nela's Daughter 2

Original Name : Sofija Jancovska

Gender : Female

Character Name : Policeman

Original Name : Zlatko Mitrevski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Roma Teen 1

Original Name : Safet Sheric

Gender : Male

Character Name : Roma Teen 2

Original Name : Sunaj Ismail

Gender : Male

Character Name : Servet

Original Name : Nadir Usen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doan

Original Name : Nedjat Kanberi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nora

Original Name : Eleonora Gievska

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nora's Grandmother

Original Name : Ratka Stojceska

Gender : Female

Character Name : Man in House

Original Name : Ivo Antov Larsson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elif

Original Name : Stefanija Nachevska

Gender : Female

Character Name : Kemal

Original Name : Tomislav Davidovski

Gender : Male

Character Name : Friend's Mum

Original Name : Naza Mustafa

Gender : Female

Character Name : Friend's Sister

Original Name : Luisa Djennet Mustafa

Gender : Female

Reviews

Brent Marchant

@Brent_Marchant

2024-07-11

Alternative “family” structures have been around for some time now, and they’ve assumed a variety of forms, both domestically and overseas, as well as in their essential composition. And, in a number of cases, it has taken some trial and error to figure out what works best for these diverse groupings, depending on the various factors that characterize the individuals involved. Such is the case in this profile of a multi-ethnic, mostly LGBTQ+ household in Skopje, North Macedonia that struggles to find a harmonious footing when stricken by a tragedy involving a family matriarch (Alina Serban). Those left behind (Anamaria Marinca, Vladimir Tintor, Samson Selim) must figure out how to regroup, particularly when it comes to the care of a belligerent adolescent (Mia Mustafa) and her sweet, young, surprisingly worldly half-sister (Dzada Selim). It’s especially challenging for those in charge, given that they’re not terribly experienced at (nor overly interested in) the responsibility for such matters. They truly find themselves engaged in a crash course of “housekeeping for beginners,” one that finds them with one foot each in the middle class world of Skopje and in the impoverished world of nearby Shutka, an enclave of Roma (a.k.a. “Gypsy”) culture. Writer-director Goran Stolevski’s third feature outing provides an intriguing look at life in locales that have not received much cinematic attention, depicted through the eyes of an eclectic mix of characters living lives far different from what one typically finds in most conventional households. This domestic comedy-drama gets off to a somewhat rocky start, mainly due to a failure in identifying the nature of the relationships among the principals, and a narrative that can be rather episodic at times, with resolutions to its multiple story threads that feel incomplete or end abruptly (most notably in the final act). Viewers probably would have benefitted from some additional information about the ethnic backgrounds of the characters, too, given that many viewers are likely unfamiliar with the cultures involved. However, once the picture starts settling down and finding its rhythm, this release definitely gets stronger and more involving as it progresses, touching audiences profoundly, given that the situations that arise are often universal in nature, no matter what structure a family unit takes. “Housekeeping for Beginners” definitely has its strengths and touching moments; it’s a little disappointing, though, that there aren’t more of them. Greater clarification and consistency in the storytelling would have done this offering a world of good in its depiction of a world otherwise seldom seen.